UW-Whitewater offers “Food for Thought” in Fairhaven lectures

January 18, 2013

"Food for Thought," the theme of the spring Fairhaven Lecture Series, will examine whether we eat simply for sustenance or whether there is more to think about this everyday activity. 

Food fills our bellies, brings families and cultures together and is the center of many traditions which remind us of our shared past.  Food also is a source of power and struggle.  The way our food is grown, manufactured and marketed can be controversial.  What do we need to know about the food choices we make? 

Mary Pinkerton, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences, will kick off the series on Jan. 28 with her lecture "Food in Literature: Memory and Social Connection." Pinkerton said the lecture will focus on authors Virginia Woolf and Marcel Proust and their uses of food in their writing.

Other lectures range from a debate on whether sugar or fish had a greater effect on history to a discussion of foodborne illness. Another lecture analyzes the significance of fasting during the Islamic celebration of Ramadan, discussing the cultural meaning of food.

While most of the lecturers are faculty members, one speaker is not. Christine Mason, the farm manager of Standard Process in Palmyra, will discuss organic farming on Feb. 4. Standard Process has several farms around the state growing organic foods for nutritional supplements.

The titles and presenters of the lectures for the Spring Series are:

• Jan. 28 - "Food in Literature: Memory and Social Connection" by Mary Pinkerton, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences
• Feb. 4  - "Organic Farming at Standard Process" by Christine Mason, farm manager at Standard Process
• Feb. 11 - "The Health benefits of  Vacuum Tumbling Foods"by John Ejnik, assistant professor of chemistry
• Feb. 18 - "Atlantic Counterpoint: Foods that Changed the World" by Tony Gulig, associate professor of history and Seth Meisel, associate dean, School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education
• Feb. 25 - Role of corn in indigenous Mexican cultures" by Bert Kreitlow, lecturer in history
• March 4 - "Blue-Plate Special: Food Borne Illness" by Donna Vosburgh, assistant professor of occupational and environmental safety and health
• March 11 - "The Flavor of Wisconsin: An Informal History of Food and Eating in the Badger State" by Liz Hachten, assistant dean of the College of Letters and Sciences
• March 18 - "American Culture, 'Big Food,' and Our Health" by Michael Oldani, associate professor of sociology, anthropology, and criminal justice
• April 1 - "Beer Matters" by Karl Brown, lecturer in history
• April 8 - "Ramadan: The Islamic Month of Fasting" by Jalal Nawash, assistant professor of physics
• April 15 - "Healthy Eating Simplified" by Ann Wertz Garvin, professor of health, physical education, recreation and coaching
• April 22 -"The Essence of Food - The Evolution and Nourishing Source of Life" by Sharon Roy, lecturer in marketing

All of the lectures will begin at 3 p.m. on Mondays in the Fellowship Hall of the Fairhaven Retirement Community, 435 W. Starin Road, Whitewater. For the full schedule and to watch past lectures, visit http://www.uww.edu/conteduc/fairhaven/

Street parking is available adjacent to Fairhaven. Contact Kari Borne at bornek@uww.edu for more information.